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+ | Letter of Charles George to his Wife | ||
+ | |||
+ | Relay House, Maryland\\ | ||
+ | July 11, 1864 | ||
+ | |||
+ | Darling — since I last wrote we have done some of the hardest fighting and | ||
+ | marching on record. I can hardly believe that men can endure so much even | ||
+ | when I see it with my own eyes. Take our 3rd Division and see what it has | ||
+ | done!!!— When we left Petersburg they were all worn out with fatigue — | ||
+ | marched through that awful dust, which is the worst thing man can do. It | ||
+ | was so crowded on the boat that they got very little sleep that night — next | ||
+ | night slept till 2 A.M. when we took the cars for Frederick city — arrived there | ||
+ | about 11 A.M.— marched through the city — stopped long enough to eat breakfast then marched back again — had dinner then through again — took supper | ||
+ | then at dark marched through it again and on down the turn pike about 3 | ||
+ | miles, crossed the Monocacy down to the rail road bridge. This march was | ||
+ | very hard it being in the night and the roads bad — besides we were out of | ||
+ | rations. We were routed out early Saturday morning — attempted to draw | ||
+ | rations, but had to give up. The rebs were coming — we got into line of | ||
+ | battle and drew rations as quick as we could, then commenced fighting about | ||
+ | 8:00 A.M. and fought like tigers, five times our number — were overpowered | ||
+ | and forced to retreat. | ||
+ | |||
+ | We marched all night and till 4 oclock the next day, making about 40 | ||
+ | miles in 24 hours and then after being about worn out at that! Some came | ||
+ | on cars but the most of us were on foot. Then we took the cars for this place | ||
+ | (Relay House). We are doing picket duty under command of Colonel Henry. | ||
+ | Since I commenced this we were routed out (100 days men) by the long roll | ||
+ | call. The rebels are reported close — Commencing back to Friday morning — | ||
+ | we did not get together on the cars, but the most of us band boys got on top | ||
+ | of them. I laid down and had a good sleep. Everywhere along the road we were | ||
+ | greeted with cheers, waving of flags and handkerchiefs. It made my heart choke | ||
+ | to see their respect for the flag and the veterans of the Army of the Potomac. | ||
+ | The people in the city were very hospitable — nearly every door had a pail of | ||
+ | water for us. I will pass over the march to Monacacy and commence there. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Herbert did not come in with the rest. While we were drawing rations | ||
+ | Saturday morning the rebs were throwing shells among us. One man was | ||
+ | wounded. After they took their final position we sought ours, but never found | ||
+ | it till we got here. We scattered in 2 or 3 directions. I went to a store — saw | ||
+ | a grist mill and got behind it — had just got there when some wounded came | ||
+ | in — one from my Company. I helped dress their wounds, while doing so the | ||
+ | shells came howling by close to us. When helping the boys into the ambulance | ||
+ | several bullets struck close by — we took shelter near the canal, when a shell | ||
+ | struck within 6 feet of us. We went for the Division Hospital, but never found | ||
+ | it for the reason there wasn't any! We followed the rail road and under the | ||
+ | protection of a little hill we found the ambulances and the wounded, which | ||
+ | served for a hospital for the time being. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Herbert was not very well and I thought I would stick to him — about | ||
+ | noon our boys made a charge and drove the rebs but it soon became evident | ||
+ | we were outnumbered. About 3:00 P.M. I heard the rebs making a charge and | ||
+ | as there was no shells or bullets lying in our direction I went on to the hill to | ||
+ | watch the battle, and I saw what but few ever get a chance to see — a battle | ||
+ | where both sides can be seen. The rebs were charging down the hill upon our | ||
+ | men —I knew it was our Brigade. They had 3 lines of battle where we had | ||
+ | only one. Their lines overreached ours on both ends — in fact we were assailed | ||
+ | on 3 sides — pretty soon the wounded began to come in — the fields were dotted all over with bodies, but not so thick on our side as theirs. Our unerring | ||
+ | rifles told heavily upon them. We drove them back once, but then they charge | ||
+ | our left and drove it a little, but they were stubborn about retreating a few | ||
+ | rods, which they were forced to do, but then they again took a stand and | ||
+ | charged our center. We had to give way but slowly! On our right we had a | ||
+ | battery, but they had 5 times as many men —finally they turned their batteries | ||
+ | on our retreating column —and I left! We all went on the retreat. I went to | ||
+ | the next hill and stopped to see the progress of the battle and to help the wounded along. I was helping one wounded man, whom I almost had to | ||
+ | carry, but the rebel cavalry came in so close it meant loss of life or capture | ||
+ | and I had to leave him. I had to run like everything as it was! I came up to | ||
+ | the rear of the straggling column — we all took it slowly until danger of sunstroke was past. I overtook Herbert 6 or 8 mile from Monocacy and stuck | ||
+ | with him. If I hadn’t he never would have got up. I carried his trunk and led | ||
+ | him by the hand part of the way — he gave out about 20 miles further (about | ||
+ | half way here). We stopped and lay down till morning. We both took a drink | ||
+ | of whiskey. (for the first time). | ||
+ | |||
+ | I routed him out at the first appearance of daylight — we had slept nearly | ||
+ | four hours. We felt some rested and pushed on — resting occasionally. Came | ||
+ | up with the Division about 8:00 A.M. in camp — they had been there only | ||
+ | about 15 minutes. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Herbert threw away his knapsack and all but his rubber blanket — I took | ||
+ | his shirt and feetings. We made our breakfast of coffee (made with cold water | ||
+ | and strained through a towel) and hard tacks. The column started soon after | ||
+ | we came up. Herbert soon gave out — I helped him along — he kept falling | ||
+ | back — finally I got him a ride behind another rider just before he staggered | ||
+ | and fell, The rest helped him along so that he got within 6 or 7 miles of our | ||
+ | next stop. We managed to get into Ellicot's Mills along with the rest —— I don't | ||
+ | know quite how we did it. I am just as tough as a man can be — I guess I | ||
+ | could have gone on to Baltimore, 10 miles further. | ||
+ | | ||
+ | //"Bully For The Band!" : The Civil War Letters And Diary Of Four Brothers In The 10th Vermont Infantry Band//, Charles George, Herbert George, Jere George, Osman George. | ||
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//A war of the people:Vermont Civil War letters//, Jeffrey D. Marshall, ed., 1999 | //A war of the people:Vermont Civil War letters//, Jeffrey D. Marshall, ed., 1999 | ||
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+ | Letter of Herbert George to his Wife | ||
+ | |||
+ | Relay House, Maryland\\ | ||
+ | July 14th, 1864 | ||
+ | |||
+ | Dear folks at home | ||
+ | |||
+ | Just a word —I am all tired out & cant seem to get rested any although | ||
+ | we have been here doing nothing for 3 days. We went up to Frederick & | ||
+ | fought the rebs — got whipped & had to retreat 40 miles in a hurry. Such a | ||
+ | hard march I never had. I'll tell you all about it when I feel like it. I came | ||
+ | near falling out & being taken prisoner. My first Bass player was taken prisoner | ||
+ | & the other one is sick. Two others sick & I’m about sick so the Band is | ||
+ | played out for a day or two. Our regt is pretty small now. Only about 200 | ||
+ | muskets and guess it will fall short of that. We are now ordered to move somewhere but can't tell anything about were. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | //"Bully For The Band!" : The Civil War Letters And Diary Of Four Brothers In The 10th Vermont Infantry Band//, Charles George, Herbert George, Jere George, Osman George. | ||
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